Grace Bible Church- Kenya

Read the latest update from the Coast Region

Dear Praying Friends,

Greetings in His Most gracious name.

This is to thank you all because of your prayers. The Lord has answered. I am thanking the Lord for His healing. Am fully back in the ministry. I thank God for the strength that He has restored to me. Secondly I thank Him for His provision of the hospital bill that I incurred. I praise the Lord for the prayer support as well as financial support. May the Lord abundantly bless you.

I would like to update you about our building project for Mombasa Grace Center. We have finished building the wall and the construction of the roofing structure. The remaining task is Iron sheets, putting the floor and re-fencing the compound. We have planned for the fundraising day which will take place on Sun. 5th June 2016. Pray we with us for this need. We will continue to appreciate you for any support that has been given or that which will be given for the completion of this project for the honor and glory of His name.

The season of rain has started in Mombasa. Pray that there will be no destruction of our building structure since it is elected in a sloppy area. We made some drainage last week and so far it's safe.

Yours in His service,

Pastor Peter Kagwi

Dear Praying Friends,

Greetings in His wonderful name.

Thank you for all your prayer support. Our conference this year was a great blessing to all those who attended. We give thanks to God for our guest speakers. TCM Missionary Gardner Improso delivered a very powerful message based in Philippians 3 in accordance to our theme of pressing towards the goal. Ledith Improso taught the women in our conference. While on the other hand, Jemima Kithuka taught the pastors wife who were present during the conference. Our national Director, Pastor Titus Kithuka; exposed our theme and emphasized on how we can practically press forward in serving our Lord daily.

We appreciated so much to all those who participated in anyway in our conference this year which took 3 days. We praise God for all your commitment in making our conference to be successful.

It was very interesting when one of our grace member from Midian Grace Bible Church, gave a strong testimony concerning his believe in his former Islamic religion. He quoted the Qur'an where it says that God had no wife, never gave birth and has no son. He powerfully said that after he was converted to Christianity through believing in Jesus Christ, now he believe the the Bible is the true Word of God. He says that the message of grace has changed his life. Him and others from his church have brought many Muslims to Christ.

Brethren, the gospel of grace of God is the only good news that answers the religious questions that have blinded many people from seeing the light of the gospel that was revealed to Apostle Paul. Let us be faithfully be committed in sharing and teaching the Word of God rightly divided. Paul says, "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." 2 Cor. 2: 17

God bless you as we continuously pray for one another.

Yours in His service,

Pastor Peter Kagwi

Dear praying friends and fellow laborers in the Lord’s service,

Greetings in the most precious name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ,
The month of October will be quite a busy month for us here in Grace Bible Church – Kenya. We are trusting God to lead us and give us the strength as we carry out several significant ministries scheduled in October. We request prayers from all of our friends and fellow laborers in the service of the Lord that God will be glorified in each of these scheduled ministry activities:

2nd & 3rd - The board of GBC Kenya will meet to deliberate on various ministry plans

4th - Missionary Luz Gad will arrive back from Philippines and will move to Kisumu on 6th where she will live as she serves for her next assignment which will mainly focus on the western Kenya churches. Pray that pastors in Kisumu will get a good house for her in Kisumu.

5th – Gardner and Ledith will join the saints in Nakuru GBC for worship service.

5th - Special joint worship service and church plot Fund raising drive in Karurina GBC in Embu region.

9th & 10th - We will have the Kenya Grace School of ministries classes for fourth module.

16th-19th - I and pastor David Anjejo will have an outreach and new church launching in Ogembo in Kisii county.

20th -26th - We will have a one week intensive Bible and Pastoral training at Thika for pastor Philip from Uganda and pastor John from Turkana- Northern Kenya. Missionary Gardner Improso, Pastor Stanley Mwangi and myself will each teach two Subjects.

31st –Nov 2nd - Pastor Peter Kagwi and the Mombasa team will have an outreach and church planting survey trip in Voi town where they intent to plant a new church next year.

It is all for you oh Lord.

In the Lord's service,

Pastor Titus (Kenya Field Director)

Dear praying friends and partners in the gospel,

Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank God for the rapid spreading of the Grace gospel in Kenya and God’s faithfulness to the vision of Grace Bible Church to reach the whole of Kenya and her borders with the life-saving and the sound-teaching of the Grace of God. The Lord has opened another opportunity to preach the gospel in Ogembo in Kisii which is in south west of Kenya toward Tanzania border. In April this year brother Stephen Shober the director of ‘Grace for you’ ministries forwarded to me a contact by name pastor Kevin Nyabuto who comes from Ogembo in Kisii County. Pastor Kevin visited G4U website and was embraced by the teachings about Grace message where afterward he wrote to Steve asking him how he could learn more. Steve contacted the TCM director Ben Anderson who directed him to me. In the month of May, I met with Pastor Kevin in Kisii town and I shared with him about the message of Grace and was so much interested to learn new truths in the Bible especially the revelation of the mystery. I requested Pastor David Anjejo and Pastor Tom Kinaro to visit Pastor Kevin’s place and teach the people he is leading about the word of God in light of this present dispensation. The two pastors visited Ogembo in June 1st and came back with a very thrilling report of how the people received the gospel and were ready to continue learning about grace message. We were to make another follow up in August but we could not make it due to the tight schedule with the Africa Safaris.

Recently I have communicated with Pastor Kevin and he confessed that he has been fully convinced that Grace message is the right message for today and that, him and his group are willing to affiliate to Grace Bible Church in Kenya to learn more and grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord. I and Pastor David Anjejo will be visiting Pastor Kevin on October 16- 19 to preach and teach, evangelize, and worship with the people there as we formally launch the church. This will be the second Grace church in Kisii area as we have Nyamira GBC. I have also been invited by another pastor in the same area called Boniface Marumbo to preach and teach in his church and we plan to visit him on the 18th. That will be another opportunity to share the gospel to the people in that very populated and highly potential area.

Put us in prayers as we prepare for this outreach and new church launch mission in Ogembo and that the Grace of God will bear much fruits in the hearts of the people in these two places we will visit. And more importantly souls will be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

But working together, we also call on you not to receive the grace of God in vain. (For He says, "In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation, I helped you;" Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation)” (2Cor.6:1-2).

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Titus (Kenya Field Director)

Dear co-workers in the service of the Lord,

Email recieved Friday, September 21, 2012

Greetings in the precious name of Jesus Christ, the Name above all Names.
I'm well in the Lord, rejoicing and thanking Him for His grace and love He has shown to me, my family and the ministry.

I want to share with you the progress of planting a new church in Nakuru so we can together join the saints in Nakuru in thanking God and praying for this new ministry. Pastor Justin and Nakuru church have confirmed their plan to start the second Grace church in Free Area–Nakuru on 30th this month. Pastor Justin and Brother James work together in planting this new church.

Pastor Joseph Wanga will be left in charge of the old church in Free - hold with pastor Simon Murithi as Associate. Though pastor Justin will give much attention to the new church, he will also oversee the old church to ensure that it continues with the planned projects especially the plot project and that it continues to grow spiritually and numerically.
Today pastor Justin and James have got a hall at Free Area which they will use as a church. Pastor Justin says it is a big hall with 4 rooms which they will use for: worship, sunday school and two offices. They will be renting this hall for Ksh 8000 per month.

This Sunday Nakuru church will have a special contribution to raise money for the hall and other facilities they will need for the start. The leaders and the whole church is in total support of starting the new church in Free Area and have given Justin and James the right hand of fellowship as they go to this ministry. I thank God for this wonderful fellowship Nakuru church has shown in furthering the gospel to that town.

Please put Pastor Justin, the associate pastors and Nakuru church in your prayers for this ministry that God will provide for all the things they need to start and that God will reach new souls from that area. This goal was birthed in prayer and we have strong confidence that God is on the side of them in every endeavor they will make.
I will worship with them on 30th as they open the new church. I look forward to a great time cerebrating the victory of the Lord and thanking him for all that He has done through the church in Nukuru.

Tomorrow I will be leaving for Meru and will be their till monday. I will meet with the regional leaders tomorrow in the morning and in the evening I will visit Tunyai the market Pastor Jenaru is planting a new church. On Sunday I will will be in Muramba–Marimanti. I request your prayers for this trip.

Praise, Honor and glory be His now and for ever. Amen!

In His service,

Pastor Titus (Kenya Field Director)

“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So that, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labor is not without fruit in the Lord” (1Cor. 15:57,58)

Western Kenya mission trip October 11 – 23

Mission for the trip –Graduate 7 GPT trainees from Kisumu GPT centre, teaching grace gospel and Launching 3 new grace churches in Gucha -Kisii and Rongo - Migori“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them”. Acts 16:9, 10
We are called to preach the gospel to the regions beyond us for we are ambassadors for Christ (2Cor.5:18-21). I and Rev. Gardner Improso the TCM Rep – Kenya will go with a team of pastors to preach the gospel to western Kenya in October 11-21. There are three pastors from different places in western Kenya who has called us to teach grace message to the people in their places. As Apostle Paul we are convinced it is God who has called us to preach the gospel to these people.
We will start our mission at Kisumu City were we will have graduation for the 2nd class at Kisumu GPT Centre which will be held at Kisumu GBC. Rev. Peter Kagwi will be the Guest Speaker at the graduation. While in Kisumu we will visit and share grace message to pastor Isaac Luvate. Pastor Isaac wrote to Brother Joe Campos and expressed interest to learn grace message. He has a church in Kisumu Nyalenda estate called “word of grace”). After he was introduced to me by Joe, Isaac called me and invited me to discuss about ministry and share more about the teachings of grace with him and his people.
From Kisumu we will go to Gucha and Rongo where God has opened 3 new opportunities to further grace gospel in South Nyanza; western part of Kenya. We thank God for these new opportunities God has opened for the people in these places to know the saving and the powerful gospel of grace. The contact pastors are pastors Benard Omayo and Pastor Martin. Both two were exposed to grace message by visiting TCM-USA website. After reading some of the resources from the site they got interested by the teachings and ministries of TCM and wrote to TCM Director Rev. Ben Anderson. Ben forwarded their contacts to me to share more with them about grace ministry in Kenya and how they can learn more about grace message. After I wrote to them they all responded positively and continued to show interest in knowing more about GBC-Kenya Ministry and the teaching of grace message. I invited the two to the pastor’s seminar at Thika which was held with the safari team on August 27. Pastor Bernard brought one of his churches elder Nickson and Pastor Martin came alone. They were all encouraged and touched by the lessons taught in the seminar by Kevin, Ben and Joyce. After attending the pastor’s seminar in Thika all the three; Bernard Omayo, Dickson Nyasaka, and Martin learned more about grace message and desired that we visit and teach this truth to their people. They have constantly invited us to visit and teach grace message to the congregations they are leading. Pastor Benard has two churches (Mongongo & Nyasembe(50 & 40 members respectively). Pastor Martin has 1 church with over 30 members.
On our mission trip we will attend worship service at Mongongo on October 14 and launch the two churches (Mongongo & Nyasembe) as Grace Bible Church. From 15th -17th we will hold seminars to teach the fundamental grace doctrines based on the book “what we believe and why we believe it”. We will also go through our doctrinal statement with the pastors and church elders.
From 18th we will travel to Rongo pastor Martin’s place. There we will hold the same kind of seminar from 18th – 20th. On Sunday 21st we will attend worship service there, preach and share with the people about the gospel of grace.
We are looking forward to fruitful ministries in this trip. I am asking prayers from all brothers and sisters that God will bless our trip and ministries to these brethren in western Kenya. I also request prayers for God to provision for our financial needs for the trip and the ministries scheduled and safety for our travel from Thika to Kisumu, then Gucha -Kisii and Rongo. Thanks to God for Gardner and Ledith for the sacrifice and support they have made for this trip.
To God be glory and honor. Amen!
“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” – Eph. 3:9

Schedule and program of Activities included in this trip
Travel from Thika – October 11
GPT Last session class – October 12
Discuss and share about grace message with Pastor Isaac Luvate in Kisumu – October 12
GPT Graduation Kisumu – October 13 (Rev. Peter Kagwi will be the Guest Speaker)
Travel to Gucha-Kisii – October 13 afternoon
Worship service and launch 2 new grace churches in Gucha District – October 14
Pastors & Leaders training Seminar to teach grace message – October 15 - 17
Travel to Rongo in Mogori District – October 18
Seminar with pastors and leaders to teach grace message – 18-20
Worship service at Rongo – October 21
Drive back to Thika – October 22

Car Purchased For Mombasa

Thanks to generous donors, Pastor Peter Kagwi was able to purchase a new car for the ministry in Mombasa, Kenya. This vehicle will save Pastor Peter time travelling to the extension schools and allow him to bring additional materials and equipment to the schools. Thank you to all who donated and prayed for this project.

Bible School Building Started in Thika

Praise the Lord with us for the start of construction at our Bible school property in Thika, Kenya, about 45 minutes northeast of Nairobi. Director Ben Anderson found this land in 2004 while a missionary in Kenya. Since then construction has been held up by plans and government permits. Gardner Improso is working with the Bible School committee to put up this initial building of eight rooms. These rooms will contain the school office, library, national church office, dorm rooms and classroom. $16,000 has already been raised of the total cost of $22,000. Pray that this school will provide quality theological education for ministers in Kenya and in countries to the north of Kenya.

Pastor Titus Kivilu Appointed to
Direct Kenya Grace Churches

Pastor Titus Kivilu with
his wife, Jemima

Speaking at Grace Bible
Church in Kisumu, Kenya

My commitment in the next four years as the Director of Grace Ministry in Kenya is to see that every grace church in Kenya is engaged in evangelizing the lost souls from the community around her and is focused on planting daughter churches where grace gospel has not yet been heard. “We should not receive the grace of God in vain” therefore every member should own the ministry and be committed to supporting it through giving his/her life, materials, time and talents for the furtherance of the gospel.

Five Main Objectives

Church planting and Evangelism - Every existing grace church to plant a daughter church. GBC-Kenya will continue her effort of urban church planting to reach the strategic major towns in Kenya. The next target will be Nyeri and Kakamenga among other towns as in 2020 goal.

Church growth – We need vibrant grace churches in Kenya. Churches which are growing spiritually and in numbers and has members who are totally committed to God and to Grace Bible Church. Every church needs to have her own plot, a building and instruments for worship service and outreach.

Holistic Worship services – Have church worship services where believers are edified with the word of God, enjoy their fellowship together and with God.

Stewardship – We are saved to serve (Eph.2:8 – 10). The gospel will be furthered only if every believer owns it and takes responsibility to further the gospel to others. I and the TCM Rep Rev. Gardner will continually hold seminars and workshops with pastors in all regions to teach, encourage and inspire pastors on giving, church growth and evangelism.

Training and nurturing leaders – Leaders are the Key to growing and stable churches. I will encourage and nurture leaders from the local grace churches to commit to studying the bible and being equipped for the ministry. Will put effort to build the central Bible school and ensure there are effective training programs.

Pictures of the 2nd Coast Grace Conference

2011 National Bible Conference

The grace believers in Kenya held the national conference this year on 31st Aug to 3rd September 2011. All the speakers expounded their messages on the theme “The Unity of the Body of Christ.” The key passage was from Romans 12: 4-8.

The conference was held in Nakuru Grace Bible Church. Nakuru is one of our city churches in Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Pastor Justin is the Senior Pastor. The believers of Nakuru GBC demonstrated their generosity by feeding the entire conference gathering for four days; unlike the other years whereby such responsibility was mainly left to our GBC office. This was truly a good example to our churches.

The attendance was about 200 from all our churches. There are some factors that affected the attendance this time. First, the famine that is in several parts of our country. Second, Nakuru is far from where most of grace churches are located. But despite that, we praise God because every region in Kenya had at least some representatives.

We enjoyed the fellowship of believers and the teaching of the word of God rightly divided. Interactions and the open discussions during the group sessions made the theme of the conference so practical. Testimonies of how the Lord is doing in each region motivated us to continue serving the Lord. The music festivals from various regions blessed our souls with grace messages. Each group presented self-composed song with emphasis of the grace message.

Finally, the launching of Vision 2020 for Grace Bible Church by the top National leaders was a motivation part of the conference. The purpose of this vision is to focus on the unreached cities of the project 2010 which initially was to plant 20 churches in 10 strategic cities. Nyeri and Kakamega will be given the first priority. Then after that, there is plan of reaching more strategic places where grace gospel has not reached. Brothers and sisters, we invite you to prayerfully support this vision for an effective teamwork and implementation of the goals for the purpose of church growth in Kenya.

By Pastor Peter Kagwi
Mombasa, Kenya

Vision 2020

The overall vision of Grace Bible Church in Kenya is:“To influence Kenya and its borders with the life-saving gospel and sound teaching of the message of the grace of God.” Our mission is:“To win souls and establish churches that provide edification and leadership to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

For over 20 years we have embarked on this mission since Grace ministry was started in Kenya. Kenya has a population of 41 million in 8 provinces. To date we have Grace churches in 6 provinces. Many people in Kenya are hungry for the Word of God rightly divided and are eager to receive the Grace message. One Grace Pastoral Training trainee, who was a pastor before with another group, confessed this: “I have been in darkness all this time. I wish I had known this message earlier. Thanks to God for coming to know the Grace message.” We need to devote ourselves to put up effective and strategic plans to reach the millions of people who are staggering in the darkness of sin and false teachings.

The strategy of urban church planting which was Paul’s way has proved to be the most effective way to realize our vision in Kenya. GBC ministry started in rural areas, but in 2000 we put up a 10-year goal to reach 10 strategic towns in Kenya (Project 2010) which has made it possible to plant eight churches in eight of these 10 major towns by the end of 2010. We now have 41 churches all over Kenya except Western and Northeastern Provinces.

The board of GBC has resolved to continue with this strategy to the full realization of our vision to reach all Kenya with the Grace gospel. We have another 10-year goal which we are calling Vision 2020. We had an exciting moment in solidarity launching Vision 2020 in the Grace Conference in Nakuru, Aug. 2011. We targeted to reach over 12 towns where the Grace gospel has not reached. Join us in prayer as we strive to make Vision 2020 a reality. Phil. 1:6

Pastor Titus Kivilu
GBC Board Chairman

Kenya

Kenya is a land which epitomizes the wonder and mystique of Africa. In this unique country one can find wild animals roaming vast game parks, white-sand beaches and towering mountains rising above the open, rolling plains. Despite this nation's magnificent natural beauty, Kenya faces tremendous social and political problems. This instability is causing Kenyans to seek
for answers beyond government and human institutions. Kenya is a nation ready to respond to the Gospel of Christ.

Kenya is located in East Africa on the equator. The country covers 224,961 square miles, roughly the size of Texas, and is noted for its diverse landscape and climate. The northern plains are hot, arid and semi-desert. Much of the population in that area is nomadic herdsmen. In the southeast, near the coast, humidity is high and the climate is tropical. The inland Kenyan highlands are bisected by the Great Rift Valley. The climate in the highlands is moderate and the fertile volcanic soils make the area well suited for agriculture. Lake Victoria lies along the southeast border and Mt. Kenya rises in the center of the country to a height of 17,058 feet. There are two rainy seasons: the "long rains" (April-June) and the "short rains" (October-
November). The long rains are more reliable and heavier. Recurring drought has brought great hardship to many of the people in recent years.

Kenya's most well-known natural resource is its many species of exotic wildlife. Such animals as lions, cheetahs, and leopards are common. Kenya is also the home of many rare and endangered species such as the black rhinoceros, zebra, African elephant, and giraffe. People come from around the world to observe these animals in their natural settings making tourism Kenya's greatest source of foreign currency.

Kenya's first inhabitants were hunting groups who wandered the vast plains of the area. They mixed with Bantu-speaking peoples of western Africa who had migrated east. Other peoples from Arabia and North Africa also settled in this area and mixed with the original inhabitants. The Kiswahili (Swahili) language was developed by these mixed peoples. In 1887, the
British East Africa Company leased the Kenyan coast from the Sultan of Zanzibar. Kenya became a British protectorate in 1895 and a colony in 1920. The British faced a period of violent uprisings in the 1950's known as the Mau-Mau Rebellion. In 1963 Kenya was granted its independence but remained within the British Commonwealth.

Initial economic growth made Kenya the richest East African country despite its many tribes and languages. From 1963 to 1992 Kenya was controlled by a strong single-party government. Internal unrest and foreign political pressure forced the government to accept multi-party rule in 1992. Sudden reductions in foreign aid coupled with rampant corruption have resulted in a sharply declining standard of living. The per capita GNP of Kenya is US$385.

The population of Kenya is over 32 million with one of the world's highest annual growth rates (3.5%). The Kenyan people are very diverse with at least 47 distinct ethnic groups which are divided largely along linguistic lines. Such divisions often create social tensions which can result in violence and bloodshed. The official languages of Kenya are English and Swahili, but most
people speak one of the many tribal dialects.

As much as 82% of the population is nominally affiliated with a Christian denomination, however many continue to practice traditional religions. There is a great lack of correct spiritual knowledge among Christians. Very few have a proper understanding of God's grace and salvation through faith in the work of Christ on the Cross. Kenya is a nation which is ripe for revival. Faced with rapid population growth and violent social upheaval the problems of this
beautiful nation seem insurmountable. The weak and neglected church is unprepared to meet the difficulties of the new century. Now is the time for Christians to make the move to bring the message of God's grace to this needy nation.

TCM History

The ministry of Things to Come Mission (TCM) in Kenya began in 1984 when Vernon and Darlene Anderson answered the invitation of a Kenyan, Festus Njoka, to go and teach the Kenyans about the Gospel of Grace. Convinced that TCM should begin
preaching and establishing churches in Kenya, Vernon helped a small group of believers organize under the name Grace Bible Fellowship (GBF). The seeds for growth were planted. The GBF was limited in its ability to grow because of a lack of trained national leaders. For the work to develop there needed to be a training program to equip the nationals with the knowledge and
skills necessary for ministry in the local churches.

In 1986 Ben and Joyce Anderson joined Vernon and Darlene to work at establishing a residential Bible School. Grace Bible School was opened in the city Embu in 1989. Since the establishment of the school the number of churches and members has grown 15% per year. Along with the Bible school, many other ministries were developed to help in the growth and
development of the local congregations. These include Theological Education by Extension, Bible correspondence courses, and the printing of gospel literature.

The ministry team in Kenya has grown, with several missionaries joining the work in recent years. Jessie Easterly went to Kenya in 1990. She was followed by Cliff and Lou Ellen Kinkead in 1991. In 1992 a young Filipino pastor, Genesis Maraat, arrived to teach in the Bible school and help with evangelism and church planting. Ed and Linda Bedore served from 1994-1996. In 1996 Gardner and Ledith Improso came from the Philippines as missionaries to work in the Bible Institute. In January of 2000 Carlo and Elma Paña joined the ministry team in Kenya as Bible Institute instructors.